To shoot (sparrows) or not to shoot? That is the question...

[JR4-AL]

I have heard that if you shoot around a PM colony they will leave it sooner or later and not return. I am shooting a pellet gun (Pump Master 760) trying my very best to keep the sparrows out of my gourds but, sometimes (most times) I miss. I have 8 PM now and I am picking up visitors every day or two. I also have two very elusive male sparrows and I can not seem to kill them (or even get a shot on them). Things have gotten serious (green leaves in three gourds) and I just purchased a Hammerli 850 Airmagnum. Something is about to give! I DO NOT WANT TO SCARE OFF A LAYING, NESTING, ROOSTING OR VISITING PM!!! Should I wait and let the sparrows lay and try a glue trap or should I take the shot?

[Archer]

let er rip, you'll be doing your martins a favor. Adding some traps like the blaines repeating trap to your arsenal would help too,

[Tom and Shelley]

I use a pellet gun and for three years have had no problem disturbing martins. Just try not to hit the gourds too much!!

I tried a glue trap once and a martin got caught in it so bad I had to destroy it... never again.

[DebA]

We shoot .22 single shot, .22 semi auto, 410 and a 12 gauge. Not at the same time mind you. Right near the houses. Dropping a sparrow as they fly from the house. We've never had a PM leave. I wouldn't do it upon arrival. Might give them a few days to settle in.
Deb

[JJ Jones]

I would recommend purchasing the Blaines Repeating Bait Trap. I have nothing but high regards for this device. I have trapped many house sparrows since I purchase it about (2) years ago. Keeps the house sparrows in check. They march right into it "Like the Pied Piper". Good Luck in your house sparrow elimination.

[Jim 1990]

What I have done is practice practice with my air gun . I purchased one of the pop up blinds and take something in it to hold your gun steady I use a folding saw horse with a sock filled with sand. get in a comfortable
position and wait. with the blind I can get a good close shot I took a male sparrow out and waited few minutes and the female flew to that gourd looking for the male I got the female also. The blind folds down easy and put away for the next HS or starling visitors. just a few of the martins took to the air but most still sit on the rack like nothing had happen . But like the post earlier I may let the martins settle in .if they are just arriving for the year.

I read on one of the forums about having another person walk out to the blind with you , then while you are in the blind have the other person walk away and go in to the house or far away from your set up .I did this a few times my wife would walk out to the blind with me then walk back and go in the house as I set in the blind . when she walked in the house the sparrows were back at the rack sooner and I did not have set and wait in the blind very long I think it really worked

[JL Murray]

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[AvianStewardess]

Only on my second season of experience here, but I have observed that the native birds don't even flinch when the pellet gun goes off. Not even a 16th of an inch!

[Don Strickland]

JR4-AL
I've been shooting Sparrows and Starlings for about two years now and the Martins will flush when they hear the shot but come right back, so I don't think it bothers them much. I use a 22 and it is pretty loud. Your pellet gun should be relatively quiet compared to my 22. Shoot those rascals.
Don

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

If your martins are staying at your place, the guns of any sort will scare the heck out of the martins, and they will quickly fly away, but they make a circle or two and come right back. They will not leave their housing because of a gun shooting.

Now lets make an exception: If the martins are looking for a new home, and are not established at your place, and if you would shoot EVERY time that they land the first few days, I think that they would eventually leave, they surely could use some quietness the first 3 or 4 days, just my opnion as I never shot when they first arrived.

[John A Green Jr]

I'm with E-mil. I shoot 22LR and 20 gauge and most of my birds will not even fly out of their gourds but you never know when a new arrival is among them. I usually wait for the PM's to leave whether to feed or just fly off for no reason like they do. Then shoot.

[Don Strickland]

I also agree with Emil's exception. Never tried a shotgun. Don't want pellet holes in my housing.
Don

[JL Murray]

My Martins do not pay much attention to me shooting a 22 rifle around them guess they are used to my daily sparrow hunt's... LOL

[lynnh]

I use a 16 gauge shot gun here.and my colony grows bigger each year

[Patrick W. Dusek]

WOW I wish i could use a 16 gauge!!! Shoot every sparrow you see the martins will love you for it. Thats what happens after a few missed shots they fly off when they hear the house door open. Thats when I have to use my sons LITTLE TIKES LOG CABIN (sparrow blind) works every time.

Later, Patrick

[RC Moser]

"just purchased a Hammerli 850 Airmagnum" Ok, you've got air gun capable of hitting sparrows in the eye at 15 yards. No reason why you can't get confident enough to get rid of the sparrows.

Did you get the scope with it? The Co2 850 has no recoil like spring gun so they are snap to get on target it you squeeze the trigger. ( I got mine adjusted so there is no jerk when it goes off. I don't stick my finger on the trigger till I am ready to squeeze it.

Pick you a spot you plan on shooting from (yardage wish). set you up target, dial your scope in the that range (if you got one) and practice till you can hit the bullseye (size of dime)(cause you will have to able hit dime size target to get the sparrow) Now raise you target to the same plain you plan of knocking the sparrow off the PM house. Dial you scope or rifle in at at angle...shoot group of three see if you are still on target, if not make fine adjustment. You should be shooting off rest (sandbag, towel folded up or using your arm to steading the rifle against something to lessen the barrel movement when your heart beats.)

Your 850 has excellent trigger, excellent scope (it you got it) and supressor to lessen the noise (email me if you want to make it wispher quiet if you got the supressor). Plan on buying quality pellets (RWS superdomes works best in my rifle). Buy at least 500 per tin at time. So you don't use them up too quickly and have to resite when you open new tin pack of pellets.

Your 850 also has adjustable trigger also to prevent jerk when you pull the trigger. Low percentage pellet will fly off target, but 99.4% should be with in 1/4" or less when you shoot groups of three's or five's target practicing. you want to shoot these groups before you adjust siting to narrow down groups. I can get mind down to clover leafing or with 1/16" at 12 to 15 yards. Depending on wind. Wind will blow .177 off target starting a 10 yards and can be bad at 25 yards in strong wind. So if the wind is blowing not good time to site in you air rifle. It will be inconsistent and off when the wind is not blowing.

Last thing I position myself or my housing so I shoot down the sides and not have to shoot through the houses or gourds but from and angle.. Some times I have to move around the yard to get good shot without risking penatrating the housing and killing something inside. I never take shot when the pellet will go through the housing. Hit the side of the porches or rails sometime but never the housing nest chambers.

[johnnycoon]

i blast away with a 12 ga skeet shooting on my property and that doesn't bother them.

[tonyg]

20 ga. 7 1/2 bird shot...many a starling and sparrow have succumbed to my dead on marksmanship..( kinda hard to miss with a 20 ga) lol..and no, they will not leave.

[JR4-AL]

Thank you all for the guidance on this issue. I feel confident that when I shoot I am not going to scare my PM now. I really appreciate all the advice. Just a few of thoughts: I do have a Blaines repeating trap and I have not had much luck, even with decoys from a homemade trap (similar to Brad's). I have eliminated many by trapping, some with shooting. Second, shotguns and even 22's are totally off limits where I have my colony. (if I could get a one day pass I am sure I would eliminate my sparrow problems, I doubt seriously I could get that pass but, it would be great.) Third, My Hammerli 850 Airmagnum should be delivered today. I did get it with an Airforce 4-16x50 AO w/Mil Dot Reticle, Claw clamp-on Bipod, 500 ct RWS Superdome .177 8.3 grains, and I purchased the Umarex Compensator. Fourth, the shot I MUST make is 35 yards with approx a 30 degree angle. Moreover, since I have gourds the Rat Sparrows generally get in the gourd without landing on the rack and stick their body about Half way out and chirp their miserable shrill. Needless to say it is going to be a very tough shot. I am going to practice this exact shot and be able to do it in my sleep before I start shooting up my gourds. (I have named the two elusive male sparrows Ooday and Qusay! ) Fifth, is a compensator the same as a supressor? If not, what is the difference? Finally, thanks again for all of the help. Again, I feel more confident now to take the shot!

[rrmartins]

I waste them with my Gamo, throw them over the fence and the neighborhood cat loves them. I think I am up to 8 males and three females this year. I am disabled so I have plenty time to make friends with them and then take them out when they gain my trust. I know it sounds mean, but we have had too many nest with eggs, pecked by sparrows. I take about 3-4 starlings out a year and the rest bug out. So far our numbers double every year.